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how did African people obtain their livelihood in 19 century? what initial problem had European colonial government to face in Africa. (for 5 marks)

Historically, Africa had abundant land and a relatively small population. For centuries, land and livestock sustained African livelihoods and people rarely worked for a wage. In late- nineteenth-century Africa there were few consumer goods that wages could buy. An African possessing land and livestock there was plenty of both so there was little reason to work for a wage. Then came the rinderpest, a devastating cattle disease in the late 1880s. The disease killed 90 per cent of the cattle. The loss of cattle destroyed African livelihoods. Planters, mine owners and colonial governments now successfully monopolised what scarce cattle resources remained, to strengthen their power and to force Africans into the labour market. Control over the scarce resource of cattle enabled European colonisers to conquer and subdue Africa.

In the late nineteenth century, Europeans were attracted to Africa due to its vast resources of land and minerals. Europeans came to Africa hoping to establish plantations and mines to produce crops and minerals for export to Europe. But there was an unexpected problem – a shortage of labour willing to work for wages.


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